Biden: Santorum, Romney 'Both Good Guys,' But Will Murder Manufacturing

President Obama laid low at the White House today, having just returned from the Nuclear Security Summit in South Korea and facing thumbs-down reviews of his solicitor general's performance in critical ObamaCare arguments before the Supreme Court.

For Vice President Joe Biden, who held down the fort at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue in meetings with advisers on Tuesday, it was time to hit the campaign trail today, delivering the third of four promised major issue addresses to relevant constituent groups.

Last week, it was telling seniors at a retirement community in Florida that Republicans want to gut Medicare and Social Security and strip them of their dignity. On March 15, the Biden Series kicked off by giving a full-throated defense of the auto bailout at a United Auto Workers hall in Toledo, Ohio.

Today in Davenport, Iowa, Biden kicked off his address on manufacturing at PCT Engineering with yet another gaffe to add to his colorful tenure.

“So let me say it again: Thank you, Terry, and thank you, Dr. Pepper, and thank you, Chancellor — Dr. Paper — and thank you, Chancellor, for this partnership of yours," he said in reference to Scott Community College President Dr. Theresa Paper, who partners with the company to train students. "You are one of the reasons why — you’re literally one of the reasons why American companies are now insourcing instead of outsourcing.”

You'd know it by watching the video or following the amused buzz on social media, but not from the official White House event transcript: "And thank you, Dr. Paper, and thank you, Chancellor -- Dr. Paper, and thank you, Chancellor, for this partnership of yours..."

The meat of the address, which was intended to hearken Obama's "America Built to Last" promise of rejuvenated manufacturing made in his State of the Union, spent significantly more time slamming the GOP field -- the former Massachusetts governor in particular -- than the previous stops in the Tour de Biden.

"So all those skeptics and our Republican opponents who -- especially don't tell me that America can't make things anymore; can't compete in the world market anymore; can't lead the world again any more," Biden said. "We will lead the world again in every aspect of the economy."